IRA BLOG

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: An 85-year-old died in 2020 and left his IRA to his 53-year-old son. Father did not take 2020 $107,000 RMD. Does the son have to take it? Does the son have to take anything in first 9 years, including this RMD? Thank you....

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As Halloween approaches and the leaves change color, families gather ‘round weekend campfires, roast marshmallows, and share spooky stories. Watchful owls hoot in the dark. In the distance, a wolf howls at the moon. A rustle in the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Educations For trusts that inherited an IRA in 2019, an important deadline is approaching. October 31, 2020 is the due date to provide required trust documentation to the IRA custodian to ensure that the longest payout...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Sir, I inherited an IRA from my sister two years ago. She was collecting RMDs at 78. My question involves collecting my sister’s RMD. Does the 10-year withdrawal go into effect now or do I use the table under my age, which is...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst With the recent economic downturn, you may be more concerned than ever about keeping retirement plan funds safe from creditors. If you participate in a plan covered by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), you can...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Many years ago, my wife and I went to lunch at a pizza joint in a strip mall. The friendly gray-haired host in sensible shoes (whom I pegged for mid-to-late 60’s), tucked two menus under her arm, grabbed a couple sets of silverware...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Would you kindly clarify the rule that governs the withdrawal period and the tax implication (if any) of RMDs from an inherited IRA? The SECURE Act and the IRS document 590B are not clear. Here is the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Times are tough. Unemployment is high and bills are piling up for many. These realities have forced a lot of people to look for sources of extra cash. For many Americans, their IRA is their biggest, or maybe only,...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi there! I have a quick question, so I thought I’d reach out to you to get your take on this. This year, IRA RMD’s have been waived, even for inherited IRA’s. That said, if a non-spouse inherits an IRA this year – and...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst An argument could be made that the easiest financial document to complete is the IRA beneficiary form. Yet somehow this basic information consistently gets overlooked, mishandled, lost or fouled up. It’s not rocket science. Don’t...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Think of a top hat, and you’ll likely conjure up images of Franklin Delano Roosevelt or the temporarily-deceased Mr. Peanut or Rich Uncle Moneybags from Monopoly. But a “top hat plan” is also the informal name of a type of section 457(b)...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Ed and team, I am sure my question has been asked by others.  Now under the SECURE Act with no more stretch features to an inherited IRA, if a person dies and leaves his IRA to a child and that child waits 9 years and 11 months...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education A significant percentage of IRA assets will ultimately go to nonspouse beneficiaries. When these beneficiaries inherit the funds, special rules kick in. Inherited IRAs are not like other IRA accounts. Here is what...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Gradually, the IRS is clarifying sections of the SECURE Act that require further guidance. In Notice 2020-68, released September 2, the IRS addressed a number of items in a Q&A format. For example, “Is a financial institution...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Does the SECURE Act have any implication to Roth IRA account inheritance longevity? Please let me know.  Thank you. Regards, Vikram Answer: Hi Vikram, The SECURE Act does affect inherited Roth IRAs in the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst In Notice 2020-68, issued September 2, 2020, the IRS gave limited guidance on certain retirement provisions of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (the “SECURE Act”). The SECURE Act was signed into law on...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Good Afternoon Ed Slott and Company, LLC, I was inquiring about a recent situation with a client that came up and if you could be of any assistance. We recently had a client pass away who was the account holder of an...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe even because of it, real estate markets in many areas of the country are busy right now. If you are considering jumping in, and if this is your first home purchase, coming up...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As sure as the sun will rise, someone will take a distribution from his IRA tomorrow. And as sure as the moon will set, someone will fail to roll over his IRA distribution within 60 days. And as sure as the wind will blow, so too...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I had taken an RMD in January 2020 from an IRA account. Then in July, I returned a portion back to the same IRA. Now I want to return another portion back to the IRA. Are multiple transactions for reversal allowed? Thanks for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Some of you may have received an RMD (required minimum distribution) from an IRA or employer plan earlier this year that you don’t want to keep. Since the CARES Act waived RMDs for 2020, “RMDs” received in 2020 are technically not RMDs...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The upcoming school year for many students is going to look like nothing we have ever seen before. For many, computers and related technology will become an indispensable part of academic life. This means that...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: In December of 2018 I did my first partial Roth IRA conversion into a new Roth IRA. I’m older than 59 ½. In December of 2019 I did my second partial Roth IRA conversion into the same Roth IRA opened in...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Dollar cost averaging is a tried-and-true investment strategy that has existed for decades. Using this technique, an investor divides up their entire amount to be invested and makes smaller periodic purchases over a desired time....

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you may have already received, or may be receiving, an RMD (required minimum distribution) from your employer plan this year. If the CARES Act waived 2020 RMDs from plans and IRAs this year, how could a company plan be making RMD...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Client has a Thrift Savings Plan and took RMDs in January, February and March of 2020. Client then rolled the balance of the TSP into an IRA. Question is whether or not he can “repay” those RMDs to the IRA under Notice...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education We are in the dog days of summer and this year is a crazy and unsettling time. The last thing on your mind may be your IRA. However, you should be aware that an important deadline is quickly approaching. If you...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Yes, trusts can play an instrumental role in estate planning. Yes, special needs trusts are invaluable to those with disabled or chronically ill family members. Trusts are essential for minors and for those who may struggle with...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I can't find the answer to this question anywhere, so I thought I'd go straight to the experts. Does the CARES Act waive the requirement for a surviving spouse to distribute the RMD in 2020 prior to re-registering the IRA in the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Hidden within the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) signed into law last December is a provision giving businesses extra time to establish certain new tax-qualified retirement plans. Prior to the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Last year the SECURE Act became law and eliminated the stretch IRA for millions of IRA beneficiaries. However, for some IRA beneficiaries the stretch lives on. For most beneficiaries, the stretch is now replaced...

By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: I have a very simple ROTH IRA question. I borrowed money from my ROTH IRA with the intention of paying it all back in 60 days. To avoid any penalty, must I make one repayment of all the money I borrowed?...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A financial advisor contacted me about her client who had recently passed away. The advisor was legitimately concerned about a rollover check received by the now-deceased individual. It had not been deposited into his IRA prior to...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst With more 401(k) plans offering Roth contributions and more folks taking distributions from their plans, now’s a good time to review the tax rules governing Roth 401(k) distributions. Qualified distributions. If your Roth 401(k)...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Once the RMD’s for 2020 were suspended, I withdrew what would have been my RMD from my traditional IRA and deposited it in my Roth IRA.  Can I now withdraw that amount from my Roth and repay it to my traditional IRA?...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst It happens. You have made a 2019 contribution to the wrong type of IRA. All is not lost. That contribution can be recharacterized. While recharacterization of Roth IRA conversions was eliminated by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The IRA and plan rollover rules have been in constant flux this year. We are now past the original July 15 extended rollover deadline. This was the first extension date created by IRS Notice 2020-23. Distributions from an IRA or...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: For COVID "special" Aug 31 rollovers, am I allowed to return my 401(k) required minimum distribution (RMD) to my IRA? Thank you, Maria Answer: Hi Maria, Yes, the CARES Act and subsequent IRS guidance allows unwanted 2020 401(k)...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Admittedly, it’s not such a bad problem to have. Nonetheless, it’s true that high-paid company plan participants can have their benefits limited by the IRS compensation limit. The compensation limit is $285,000 for 2020 and goes up most...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The countdown to the much delayed 2019 tax filing deadline is on. The deadline is July 15, 2020, which is only a couple of days away. Time is running out. Is your IRA ready? Making Your 2019 IRA Contribution Due to the COVID-19...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I am aware of the IRA one-rollover-per-year rule. What I can’t find is if a married couple that files jointly violates the rule if they each do a rollover from their own individual IRAs? For example: One person has an...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As we have written on many occasions, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act) waives required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2020. This waiver applies to company savings plans and IRAs, including both...

By Ian Beger, JD IRA Analyst There’s been a flurry of recent government regulation of company retirement plans. Here’s a quick summary: Electronic Disclosure of Retirement Plan Documents On May 27, 2020, the Department of Labor published a final regulation making it...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: If someone took two IRA distributions earlier in 2020 that were considered RMDs, and now wishes to repay the cumulative amount back into the same IRA, are there any rules about the number of rollover deposits they can...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst IRAs are supposed to be for saving for retirement but in challenging economic times like these many individuals may be forced to take distributions before retirement age. Be careful! If you tap your IRA before reaching age 59 ½, the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst After a six-month sprint through a diabolical obstacle course of new laws, a pandemic, record unemployment, deaths, confusion and complete disruption of everyone’s professional and personal lives, this seems like a good time to...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, If a person takes that 100k distribution, can they elect to split evenly in 2020-2022 as income? Or can they determine how to apply the income? Shannon Answer: Hi Shannon, Those persons who qualify for up to $100,000 of...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The IRS has extended the rollover deadline for required minimum distributions (RMDs) taken from IRAs or company plans in 2020. In Notice 2020-51, released on June 23, the IRS said that any unwanted 2020 RMDs can be repaid via rollover to...

Are you acting in your clients’ best interest when it comes to rollovers? On June 30, the new SEC Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) becomes effective. Reg BI establishes a “best interest” standard of conduct for broker-dealers when they make recommendations to clients...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst On June 19, the IRS released additional guidance on coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) from retirement accounts. The new guidance will make many more individuals eligible for these tax-advantaged distributions allowed under the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Thank you for all the great resources you provide. I have been looking for an answer to my specific situation and have not been able to find a clear answer to what I think is a pretty straight forward situation/fact pattern....

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst FIX: Rolling Over the Tax Withheld on a Distribution. Was the mandatory tax of 20% withheld on your work plan withdrawal even though you intended to roll over the entire account? Did you change your mind on an IRA withdrawal and...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the IRS has temporarily relaxed the rule that spousal consent to certain retirement plan distributions and loans must be witnessed personally by a notary public or a plan representative. In Notice...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Under the SECURE Act, if we can assume a Special Needs Trust can qualify for the stretch via the disabled beneficiary, what happens when the special needs trust beneficiary passes? The next named beneficiary (remainder)...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst By now, most IRA owners have heard the bad news. The SECURE Act eliminates the stretch IRA for the majority of beneficiaries who inherit in 2020 or later. Instead, for most, a 10-year payout rule will apply. Here is how this new rule...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The King of the Land wanted to send 100,000 of his greatest warriors off to battle. However, he was told that 20,000 of the warriors needed to remain behind to protect the castle. The King of the Land did not like this news. He...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I understand that I don’t have to take any RMDs during 2020.  However, is the CARES Act rule that it is an-all-or-nothing for RMDs or can I take a portion of my RMD for 2020 but not all John Answer: Hi John, Since RMDs are...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst As a result of the current economic downturn, we can expect more and more companies to offer lump sum buyouts to employees with defined benefit (DB) plan benefits. A lump sum buyout is a limited opportunity for DB plan participants to...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst More than 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the Corona virus pandemic hit in in the middle of March. With job loss can come questions of what to do with retirement savings such as your 401(k) plan. A rollover to an...

Friday, May 29, 2020 The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act single-handedly upended many long-standing retirement rules when it became effective on January 1, 2020. Shockingly, the SECURE Act was pushed to the back burner when all the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Since no RMD in 2020 is required, what will the tax treatment be for QCD checks to charities written before the CARES Act became effective? Will 1099-R dollar amounts be included in AGI and charitable contributions only...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Gold members of a national hotel chain, big airline or just the local club expect lofty benefits for their dedicated patronage. Bronze members have access to A, B and C. Silver members have access to A, B, C, plus D, E and F. At...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Recovery (CARES) Act continues to cause confusion. In the April 22, 2020 Slott Report, we discussed four misconceptions surrounding the new law. In this article, we add one more: If your employer...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi, My question is:  Does the SECURE Act affect inheritors of a Roth IRA account?  If so, in what way, and why - since it is not a pre-tax account? I look forward to your reply.  Thanks. Regards, Vikram Answer: Vikram,...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst With markets down, many IRA owners are thinking this may be the time for a Roth IRA conversion. Converting when account values are down can be a good bargain. You pay a tax bill on a lower balance now in exchange for potential tax-free...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The coronavirus-related distribution (CRD) rules for Roth conversions have a gaping hole. An “affected person” (as we have defined in previous blogs), is entitled under the CARES Act to withdraw up to $100,000 from their IRA or...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Sir: The CARES Act includes a waiver of RMDs for this year from company savings plans and IRAs. I am in the minority of retirees that took my 2020 RMD in January 2020, withheld 20% for taxes and am now finding out that I...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The evil genie in the IRA lamp wants your money. He roars with laughter at the thought of you facing hard times. Given an opportunity, he will line the pockets of creditors with your IRA dollars, and he will serve your remaining...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The recently passed CARES Act includes some changes that impact your HSA. These changes will allow you to access more medical services without worrying about your deductible, and also enable you to take more tax-free distributions from...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have been taking my RMDs on a monthly basis in 2020. Since the Cares Act has suspended RMDs for 2020, I would like to rollover my past 2 distributions. I would like to aggregate those two distributions and roll them over. I...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), certain individuals can take up to $100,000 of distributions from IRAs and company plans during 2020 and receive special tax relief. Those distributions are...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst For a number of years, the “mega backdoor Roth” strategy has been touted as a way for employees to convert large amounts of after-tax employee contributions to Roth IRAs. Unfortunately, in most cases the strategy won’t work. Here’s why....

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Dear Mr. Slott, I seem to have gotten myself into a jam with my 2020 RMD withdrawal and the CARES Act, as it stands now. Hoping you are able to help, or make a suggestion on how to proceed. In January, over three...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst 77 and sharp - that’s my dad. A voracious reader. Daily crossword puzzles. Curious. Engaged with the community. But he gets a little loose with technology. Comedic evidence suggests he is blissfully unaware if he is having a...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Did the SECURE Act change the rules for designated non-spouse inheritors of a Roth IRA? I believe they used to be able to take distributions based on their life expectancy. Does the 10-year rule also apply to Roth IRAs? Thanks,...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Recovery Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, includes several important retirement-related provisions. Because some of these provisions are confusing, several misconceptions about the new...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Recovery Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, includes several important retirement-related provisions. Because some of these provisions are confusing, several misconceptions about the new...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst As the coronavirus pandemic has raged on, we have seen devasting images of overwhelmed hospitals and long lines of cars at food banks. If you are fortunate enough to have money to spare, you might be thinking about how you can help....

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I took 25% of my 2020 required minimum distribution (RMD) from an inherited IRA on March 15, 2020. Can that be “undone” in accordance with the CARES Act and if so, how?  Thanks. Audrey Answer: Hi Audrey, The CARES Act waives...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst I grew up in the northeast, where snow squalls sweep across Lake Ontario and cede to blue skies, where 85-degree summer days change to a biting rain at a moment’s notice. The folksy phrase around town was, “If you don’t like the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst I grew up in the northeast, where snow squalls sweep across Lake Ontario and cede to blue skies, where 85-degree summer days change to a biting rain at a moment’s notice. The folksy phrase around town was, “If you don’t like the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The recently-enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020, allows “qualified individuals” to take up to $100,000 of penalty-free IRA and company plan withdrawals during...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi. What are the rules for QCDs now that required minimum distributions (RMDs) have been cancelled for 2020? Thanks for your help. Jerry Answer: Jerry, Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) are unaffected by the CARES...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst On March 27, the massive “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” or the “CARES Act,” was signed into law. The CARES Act includes a waiver of required minimum distributions (RMDs) for 2020. This waiver applies to company...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Like most people’s lives, the retirement world is upside down. This is made evident by a single statement: “Required minimum distributions (RMDs) can be rolled over.” Yes, that is the new normal – at least for this year. RMDs are...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: The virus pandemic has prompted legislation that has eliminated the requirement for me to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from my IRA for the year 2020. Am I therefore allowed to do a partial Roth IRA conversion in...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The recently-enacted “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” or CARES Act, includes special tax relief for IRA and company plan withdrawals made in 2020 and for company plan loans. Who gets relief? Both the distribution and...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst As the coronavirus pandemic has spread, many Americans have been hit hard. Their retirement accounts have also taken a serious blow as markets have plummeted. In these tough times, there is a bit of good news as the government has come...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: With the COVID-19 changes to push the tax filing back to July 31st, can someone still make a 2019 contribution until that date or do all contributions need to be made by the usual April 15th deadline this year? Jerry Answer:...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst By their nature, small businesses struggle in the shallows. Now they face a tsunami. However, when the shutters are removed and customers return and the employees are back on the payroll, normal day-to-day concerns will be a...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst It’s common for IRA owners to leave their assets to multiple beneficiaries – for example, their children. Before the SECURE Act, it usually made sense to split the IRA into separate accounts either before or after death. That’s because...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: A daughter who has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis is listed as the beneficiary on her father’s Roth IRA.  Does this disease qualify as a “chronic illness” for purposes of the exception to the 10-year rule? Is...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The coronavirus has been wreaking havoc on markets and millions of retirement account balances have suffered significant losses. This has left many IRA owners looking at lower account balances after several years of gains and wondering...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst When a person takes a distribution from his IRA or workplace plan, he has 60 days from the day of receipt to redeposit (i.e., roll over) those dollars into another qualified account. This assumes no other disqualifying rollovers...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, First of all, I'm a big fan.  Now here's my question: If I do a backdoor Roth conversion with exclusively nondeductible IRA contributions, is there a 5-year clock on withdrawing the converted dollars without penalty?  In...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The amount of annual elective deferrals you can make to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan is limited by the tax code. If you discover that you’ve over-contributed in 2019, time is of the essence to correct the error. If you don’t act quickly, the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The SECURE Act eliminated the age restriction on contributions to traditional IRAs. The rule outlawing contributions for those 70 ½ or older is no more. This is good news for older IRA owners who are still working or have a spouse who...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: My dad was 86 when he died and I inherited half of his IRA, which I elected to stretch.  Am I correct in thinking that since I am not yet 70 ½, I am not allowed to direct qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from this...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst True or False?  “It is mathematically impossible for an IRA account owner to have his first required minimum distribution (RMD) be due for the year 2020.” Here’s why this statement is true. First, we are not talking about inherited...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Who can offer them? Most company retirement savings plans, such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans, are allowed to (but not required to) offer plan loans. Loans are not allowed from IRAs or SEP and SIMPLE-IRA plans. What is the maximum...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Looking for your help. Husband has an inherited IRA (from his dad prior to the SECURE Act) and was taking RMDs using the single life table. Husband passes away in 2020 and leaves the inherited IRA to his wife who is age...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The SECURE Act overhauled the rules for beneficiaries of retirement accounts. One significant change it brought is the new 10-year payout rule. Here are ten things you need to know about the new 10-year rule. 1. The 10-year rule...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A spouse beneficiary of an IRA faces many decisions. There is great flexibility and many items to consider. For example, how old was my spouse when he or she passed and what impact will that have on my available choices? Do I need...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Most workplace retirement plans allowing elective deferrals fall into one of these varieties: 401(k) plans for employees of private sector companies. 403(b) plans for employees of tax-exempt employers, public schools and churches. 457(b)...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: For the last three years, I have done a back door Roth conversion. I do the conversion in January. I am 68 years old and I am rolling over my 457(b) New York City deferred compensation plan funds to a rollover IRA with Vanguard....

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Many IRA owners have named trusts as their IRA beneficiaries. You may be one. Trusts offer control from the grave and can be a smart choice, especially to protect beneficiaries who may be minors, have special needs or simply are not...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Can a QCD be used to pay dues to a charitable organization? Answer: This is an area where we receive a lot of questions. To qualify as a QCD, there cannot be any benefit back to you from the funds that go from your IRA to the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Do you want to access your IRA funds penalty-free, even though you are under age 59 ½ and no exception fits your situation? It can be done. Starting a new business and need capital from your IRA, but don’t want to pay the 10% early...

Ian Berger IRA Analyst One important difference between IRAs and company retirement plans is spousal protection. Except for community property states, spouses of IRA owners do not have any rights to the account. By contrast, many workplace plans must provide spouses...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: An initial ROTH conversion was completed in 2018 for tax year 2018. A second conversion was completed in 2019 for tax year 2019. There was no ROTH IRA account prior to 2018 and the account owner is over 59 ½. The 5-year...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Are you looking for a better investment for your IRA? Are you thinking about making the move to another IRA custodian or financial advisor? You do have this opportunity. The IRA rules are set up to allow portability. However, if you...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst For those who inherit IRA accounts in 2020 or later, the SECURE Act permits five groups of people to stretch required minimum distribution (RMD) payments over their life expectancy. As I touched on in a recent Slott Report article...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, Question on the new SECURE Act: Do you know if there were any changes to the payout period if an estate is the beneficiary of an IRA. Is it still a 5-year payout? Or is it now 10? Thanks, appreciate your help. Janet...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Part-time employees in companies with 401(k) plans won a big victory when the SECURE Act was signed into law on December 20, 2019. Before the SECURE Act, 401(k) plans could exclude employees if they did not work at least 1,000 hours of...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: According to the IRS website: Beginning in 2015, you can make only one rollover from an IRA to another (or the same) IRA in any 12-month period, regardless of the number of IRAs you own (Announcement  2014-15 and Announcement...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As we gradually peel back the layers of this legislative onion called the SECURE Act, more and more discoveries come to light. One revelation is how qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) are potentially affected. Could a QCD...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The new SECURE Act contains three provisions that are designed to promote annuities in company savings plans. The January 8, 2020 Slott Report described the first of these three changes – new protection for companies if the insurance...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hoping you might be able to offer some guidance. We have a client who has two IRA accounts.  The client is 80 years of age. He wants to convert the full amount in one of his IRA accounts to a Roth. The IRS says that...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst On December 20, 2019 the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law. This new law includes some big changes for your retirement account. Here are the top 10 things you need to know: No more...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The stretch IRA is on a stretcher and paramedics just loaded it into an ambulance. It is on life support. Prognosis: negative. For most new beneficiaries, the stretch will not survive. The SECURE Act is the perpetrator, and it...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I turn 70 1/2 in 2020. Since I do not have to take a required minimum distribution (RMD), how much can I do in a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) this year? Ronnie Answer: Hi Ronnie, Even though you won’t have an RMD for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst There are three new provisions in the recently enacted SECURE Act designed to promote annuities in company savings plans. That explains why insurance companies lobbied so hard for passage of the legislation. The three provisions are: New...

Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The SECURE Act is here! Most of new law’s provisions kicked in on January 1, 2020, overhauling many of the rules for retirement accounts that have been with us for decades. One significant change the SECURE Act brings us is the delay in...

Sarah Brenner IRA Analyst Question: With the SECURE Act, can a person who is older than 70 ½ fund a 2019 Traditional IRA?  The SECURE Act goes live on 1/1/2020, and an IRA can be funded up to 4/15/2020 for the previous year.  Any reason they cannot? Answer:...

Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The clock is winding down to the ball-dropping in Times Square that will usher in a new year – and a new decade. The Ed Slott and Company team wishes to thank you for supporting The Slott Report and responding to our articles with such...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, Hope all is well.  I have a client that received the HEART benefit as her spouse passed away a few years ago.  We immediately moved those dollars into a Roth for her.  My question is, as we are doing some year-end...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As of the writing of this Slott Report submission, it is Monday, December 23, 2019. T-minus 8 days before the end of the year, which means IRA owners have a tight window to complete any year-end transactions. Once the calendar...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: My husband has taken two different qualified distributions from his Roth IRA within the last 60 days.  We would like to "pay those back.” It looks like we can put money back into the Roth IRA as a rollover. My question is:  Can...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst With the clock ticking down on 2019, Congress is expected to enact a $1.4 trillion year-end spending bill to keep the government running. Tucked away inside this mammoth piece of legislation is the Setting Every Community Up for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst 1. What is a QDRO? A QDRO is a “qualified domestic relations order.” In plain English, it is a state court order obtained by divorcing parties that requires an ERISA plan to pay a portion of a participant’s benefit to the non-participant...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: As year-end approaches, I have just exceeded my 2019 RMD, combining total QCD's during the year and my regular monthly IRA withdrawals. If I make additional charitable contributions from my IRA this month, are they still...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst When the chips are down, the providers hold all the cards. This is true for both IRAs and workplace plans. Ultimately, the IRA custodian (through its custodial form) and retirement plan sponsor (through the plan document) will...

December 10th, 2019 Chadd Mason, CEO The Cabana Group Yet Again, the Market Focuses on What Matters - Interest Rates and Earnings After a rocky start to last week, U.S. equity markets rebounded and finished higher, led by Friday's 1% bounce in the S&P 500. The...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Just like eating too much pumpkin pie with whipped cream isn’t good for your waistline, being a “top-heavy” retirement plan also may not be healthy. Sponsors of certain retirement savings plans must have their plan tested each year to...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a river of sights and colors and sound. A snappy marching band flows to an army of volunteers clutching the ropes of a six-story inflatable SpongeBob, swaying in the wind. Flag bearers and...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Jenny earns a salary of $1,000,000. She is single and is not an active participant in a company retirement plan. Jenny can contribute $6,000 to a traditional IRA and deduct the full amount on her taxes. Benny, also unmarried, has a...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Roth IRAs first arrived over twenty years ago. A lot has changed since 1998. That was the year that Google was founded and an electronic pet called a Furby was one of the most popular Christmas gifts. However, some things haven’t...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am over 71 and have 2 IRAs, one in my name, the other is inherited. Can I take one RMD from the inherited IRA to satisfy both? Or must I treat them separately and do 2 separate RMDs? Thank you! Tyler Answer: Hi Tyler, You must...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you are charitably inclined and have an IRA, you might want to consider doing a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) for 2019. The deadline for a 2019 QCD is fast approaching. It is December 31, 2019 and many custodians have even...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Earlier this month, a tax notification service released information declaring that “North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed legislation allowing an income exclusion for distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello Ed, I have received differing views on making a 401(k) conversion to a Roth IRA.  I'm a 64 year old retired federal employee and plan to transfer all my funds from the TSP to my traditional IRA.  From there I plan to...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many 401(k) plans must pass two annual nondiscrimination tests: the ADP test and the ACP test. The November 11 Slott Report discusses the ADP test. This Slott Report tackles the ACP test and the options available to 401(k) plans that fail...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst If you participate in a 401(k) plan, you probably know about the annual limit on the amount of your deferrals (for 2019, $19,000, or $25,000 if over age 50). But if you are a high-paid employee, another limit may apply. Welcome to the IRS...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, My question: Is there any way to do a charitable distribution from my IRA before I reach RMD age? I am recently retired and 65 years old. Thanks! Marty Answer: Marty - The number-one requirement to be able to do a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Hypersensitivity to caffeine - this is my affliction. So much so that I limit myself to one energy drink per week. It must be opened before noon and should be nursed for a minimum of 90 minutes. Any violation could result in me...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst IRAs are for saving for retirement. However, as these accounts have grown over the years, many IRA owners still have significant funds in their IRA at their death. This means that estate planning for IRAs is essential. Effective estate...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am 72 years old and converting my traditional IRA to a Roth IRA a little at a time each year. Do I need to concern myself with a 5-year rule for earnings if I were to withdraw ALL my Roth IRA at once? If I do have to address...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst If you’re thinking about leaving your job, you may want to inquire about your company retirement plan’s vesting schedule. If you are close to becoming vested in a retirement benefit, it may pay to stick it out until you have enough...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Buckle your seatbelt and hang on to your hat. This ride could get bumpy. We are about to embark on a conversation that might give some readers vertigo or whiplash or all of the above. An article I wrote about the two 5-year clocks...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a question about an IRA split between my husband and me. I got half of his retirement IRA and I was wondering if I am responsible for the taxes if I was to withdraw the funds. Also, if I didn't want all the funds in...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Many individuals find themselves stepping away from a job for reasons such as raising children or being a caregiver to aging parents. When this happens retirement savings can take a hit. That does not necessarily need to be case. You...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Contrary to urban legend, ERISA does not stand for “Every Ridiculous Idea Since Adam.” Instead, it is an acronym for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. ERISA is a federal law that regulates employer-sponsored retirement...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I was wondering, will incorrect information on a Beneficiary Designation form cause it to be invalid?  I see forms with a wrong or missing date of birth, or ones listing more than one beneficiary, each assigned...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst My wife teaches elementary school kids. Been at it for years. Long enough to have former students visit her classroom as adults. She was put on this Earth to teach. Tough job, though. Even at this early age, and oftentimes through...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst There are always questions that come up as to the correct way to handle the required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year of death of the IRA owner. Here are three things you need to know about the year of death RMD. 1. The RMD for...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I turn 70 ½ this year and my last day of work was September 30, 2019.  Am I required to take an RMD from my work profit sharing 401(k) plan by April of 2020 and, if so, is the RMD calculated on the 12/31/18 account balance?  My...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Retroactive adjective ret·​ro·​ac·​tive | extending in scope or effect to a prior time or to conditions that existed or originated in the past; especially: made effective as of a date prior to enactment, promulgation, or...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I attended the two-day event in Washington DC. Is there any news on the attempts in Congress to change the stretch-out? Jim Answer: Hi Jim, It sounds like you are asking about the status of the Setting Every Community Up For...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst October is upon us. This means fall is in full swing. Along with football, pumpkin-spice everything and stocking up on candy for trick-or-treat come four important October 15 deadlines you will not want to miss! 1. Did you contribute...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Knowing your limits is important when you’re sitting in a bar and realize that you have to drive home. It’s also important to know the dollar limits that apply when you participate in more than one company retirement savings plan or you...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am still working at age 71 and don't really need the required minimum distributions (RMDs) from my rollover IRA. The IRA was funded largely with distributions from a tax-qualified pension plan and a tax-qualified 401(k)...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst My son is 14. I make every effort to expose him to a wide array of cultural elements. A variety of music. Plays. History. Food. Movies from the 80’s and 90’s are a significant slice of the “Understanding Social References” pie...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Retirement accounts are supposed to be for saving for retirement. If you tap your retirement savings before reaching age 59 ½, you run the risk of being hit with the 10% early distribution penalty. However, there are exceptions to this...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Here is the situation. The mother is deceased and the father is in jail. He has two minor kids that need the money out of his traditional IRA. Could all of the money be taken out and considered a hardship distribution to avoid...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Like cassette tapes and slide rules, defined benefit (DB) plans are becoming relics of the past. It’s estimated that 88% of private sector employees with a company plan in 1975 were covered by a DB plan. Today, that number is less than...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst People stumble over themselves all the time. Bad advice is provided, misinformation gets freely disseminated, and sometimes normally smart individuals do less-than-smart things. Stories of good folks fouling up their required...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I’ve been a follower of Ed’s expertise for over 10 years. The information has always been helpful and clearly explained. At this time, I’m looking to help a client minimize her taxes. She recently inherited an IRA from...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Are you questioning that IRA contribution you made for 2018? Maybe you made a Roth IRA contribution and then discovered your income was too high. Maybe you made a traditional IRA contribution but you were ineligible due to your age....

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst If you run a small company, you may be reluctant to offer a retirement plan to your employees because of the cost of plan administration and compliance. If so, you’re not alone: approximately 38 million American workers lack access to a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Could you please direct me to information that tells me how any conversions I make from my regular IRA to a Roth will be taxed.  My belief was that the amount of any conversion will be taxed at whatever my tax bracket is...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst As I write, Hurricane Dorian is pummeling the Bahamas, churning the ocean and producing catastrophic damage. Godspeed, Freeport. Forecasts suggest the storm will sweep north and brush the east coast of Florida, which is where I...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The calendar is turning to September and Starbucks is once again selling pumpkin spice lattes. It’s back to school time! We can all agree that education is expensive. If you have children, you know that you cannot afford to miss out on...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I have an IRA from my deceased father. The beneficiary is my mother, but she passed on before my father. The IRA custodian is saying this doesn't go through the estate but directly to me. I thought all IRA's that don't...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Who says getting old is all bad? Once you reach a certain age, Congress rewards your longevity by letting you contribute an extra amount to your IRA or workplace savings plan – with no strings attached. It’s a great way to boost your nest...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Every year thousands of traditional IRA account owners turn 70 ½ years old. In addition, each year thousands of younger non-spouse beneficiaries inherit traditional and Roth IRA accounts. What do these two groups of people have in...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: We found a discussion on your website’s discussion board in 2011 regarding 60-day rollovers straddling two calendar years. We are trying to confirm that a rollover would still be valid even if the Form 1099-R and 5498 may be...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst IRAs have now been around for decades. This means these accounts are now being inherited by beneficiaries and even, increasingly, by successor beneficiaries. Here are 3 things you must know if you are a successor beneficiary who...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst You may know that you participate in a DC retirement plan. But what exactly does that mean? (Hint: It doesn’t mean that your plan is sponsored by the District of Columbia.) “DC” actually stands for “defined contribution” plan. Defined...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst You may know that you participate in a DC retirement plan. But what exactly does that mean? (Hint: It doesn’t mean that your plan is sponsored by the District of Columbia.) “DC” actually stands for “defined contribution” plan. Defined...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I have heard Ed speak at several different Wells Fargo events and he spoke one time about clients who over contribute to their 401(k). I believe there was a strategy where they can move the excess to an IRA. Can...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Just as IRA and 401(k) plans have different levels of bankruptcy protection, so too do other possessions. Whether these assets are qualified or not, there are ways to shield oneself from creditors. Case in point - in order to...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act recently passed the House of Representatives by a large margin. It is currently stalled in the Senate. This bill includes a multitude of provisions that would...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: As I understand it, a contribution would be income tax free when sent directly from an IRA to a 501(c)(3) organization.  It is not clear to me if the distributions still will affect my MAGI that in turn will affect Medicare Part...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Participating in a company plan, like a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, is a great way to save for retirement. But to make sure that employees don’t use those plans as checking accounts, Congress has imposed limits on when you can withdraw your...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Many company retirement plans – like a 401(k) – offer company stock as an investment option. Under special tax rules, a plan participant can withdraw the stock and pay regular (ordinary) income tax on it, but only on the original...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed, I have heard conflicting reports. Would the proposed SECURE Act affect Roth IRAs? Or, is the elimination of the stretch on for Traditional IRAs? Many thanks! Chad Answer: Hi Chad, There does seem to be a lot of...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst You may wonder about naming your trust as your IRA beneficiary. For some that may be the way to go, but you should be careful. Trusts are not for everyone. There are trade-offs and consequences. Trusts as IRA beneficiaries create...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Sometimes it pays to go solo. For self-employed individuals looking to maximize their nest egg, a solo 401(k) plan -- also known as an “individual 401(k)” or a “uni-k” -- may be a better choice than a SIMPLE or SEP IRA. Who Can Have a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst By the look of everyone’s Facebook and Instagram photos, it appears we are all flying Gulfstream jets around the world, relaxing on far-away beaches and lighting Cuban cigars with twisted-up $100-dollar bills. Is the economy really...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst It is not unusual for many workers today to have a side gig. They may have job, and it might even be full time, but it’s still not enough to make ends meet. So, they operate their own business on the side. The extra income can be...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: I read your November 29, 2017 explanation of rollovers and the time limitations. But my issue is still unclear to me. In December 2018, my husband made a transfer from his 401(k) to an IRA to a Roth IRA. We intended to do the...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you who participate in a company retirement plan may have heard that the plan is “qualified” or “tax-qualified.” That sounds reassuring, but what exactly does it mean? In other words, what qualifies a qualified plan to be...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k) plans are incredibly popular, and why wouldn’t they be? Both offer tax-free earnings and allow the account owner to pass tax-free dollars to their beneficiaries. However, despite the ubiquity of Roth...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have read your updates and shared information regarding the SECURE bill that is in the Senate currently.  The information discusses the non-spouse beneficiaries of IRAs will need to take distributions over 10 years as a...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst When driving your car, most of the time you’re going forward. But sometimes, like when you back into a parking spot in anticipation of beating the traffic after a sporting event or concert, you must shift gears to reverse. So it is with...

By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst ‘Tis the season for bee stings and mosquito bites. Just like those summer irritations, 401(k) plan loans have their own annoying rules that can make them risky transactions. Fortunately, a provision of the 2017 tax reform law applied a...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Happy 4th of July to all the loyal readers of the Slott Report! This summer holiday is a time for barbecues. This is a time when all ages come together to celebrate. Families will gather to grill hot dogs, roast marshmallows and watch...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Did you inherit an IRA from someone who is NOT your spouse? This is not uncommon. Maybe you inherited from a sibling or a parent or a friend. If this is your situation, you will want to proceed with caution. For nonspouse beneficiaries...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Your advice, articles, publications and books I’ve purchased over the years have been great and most informative. Great job! My question is with regards to NUA – I retired recently (age 66) and had a company 401(k) to...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Prior to 2002, a default option for paying out required minimum distributions from an inherited IRA to a beneficiary was the 5-year rule. If the IRA owner died before their required beginning date and an election was not made in a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs are a wonderful way to save for retirement. A person can sock away $6,000 a year (plus another $1,000 if they are age 50 or older) and the earnings will grow tax free. Plus, most custodians allow Roth IRA dollars to be...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I set up a Roth outside my employee retirement plan. I retired on 10-01-2018. I set up an automatic contribution to my Roth IRA from my checking account and, up to this day, still continue to contribute to the Roth IRA ....

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The road to retirement is long. Along the way you may need or want to move your retirement funds. Maybe you are leaving a job or maybe you are just looking for a new investment strategy. When the time comes to make a move, you will...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Every single month since January of 2014, Billy Joel has headlined a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. Demand for tickets to see the Piano Man has not waned. Ticket sell out quickly. Millions of fans will attest that Billy Joel,...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am over 70.5 and I have to take an IRA minimum distribution or else pay taxes and penalties on scheduled amount. My question is - can I take the mandatory distribution which I will pay taxes on anyway and then roll the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A time machine would be cool to have. Even if it only worked on financial assets, it sure would come in handy. One might jump into the future and see if an investment paid off, or you could look around to see where the smart money...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst The pro-rata rule is the formula used to determine how much of a distribution is taxable when an IRA account consists of both pre-tax and after-tax (basis) dollars. The rule requires that all SEP, SIMPLE, and traditional IRAs be...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am a financial advisor and want to be clear on something. If a client has a SIMPLE IRA that they are contributing to and have an IRA and are 70.5, can they aggregate the distributions for both and remove from the IRA? Wanda...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst When it comes time to calculate your required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA, you may wonder which life expectancy table to use. Last updated by the IRS back in 2002, there are three possible tables for IRA owners and...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst SIMPLE IRAs are not so simple. One factor that makes SIMPLE IRAs tricky is that they are subject to unique rules, found nowhere else in the tax code, such as the two-year holding period. Two-Year Holding Period When does the two-year...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: IRA HELP, I’ve got a client who is retiring early. He has roughly $1,000,000 in an IRA now which he could initiate a 72(t) with.  That will not generate enough cash flow to support their needs. He also has an additional...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The IRS has announced the 2020 inflation-adjusted limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). How an HSA Works An HSA is a tax-free account that is used to pay for qualified medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. It is...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Employer-sponsored retirement plans, like 401(k) and 403(b) plans, have some definitive benefits vs. IRA accounts. For example, company plans provide an unlimited amount of protection from bankruptcy, while IRA contributions and...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a question about avoiding RMDs for a still-working 73 year-old in a 401k plan.  I realize most people my age are looking forward to retirement, but I love what I do and am delighted to continue to be able to work. I am...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst After a recent Ed Slott conference in Dallas, Texas, I found myself sitting in a hotel café, surrounded by travel bags, having pizza with a few meeting attendees with later flights. “Anyone want to share an Uber to the airport?”...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you are planning on doing a 60-day rollover with your IRA funds, be sure you understand same-property rule. This is one of the lesser known rules that apply to rollovers and is one many taxpayers find confusing. For IRA-to-IRA or...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I recently inherited a traditional IRA from my mother. I mistakenly asked for a lump sum to be paid to me by the custodian. I realized after the fact that I wanted to set up a stretch IRA. I haven’t cashed the check yet....

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst With college costs almost certain to keep increasing each year, parents need to explore every possible tool available to meet the challenge of paying for higher education. Roth IRAs are not just for retirement savings. They can play a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Roth IRAs are extremely popular, and why wouldn’t they be? Tax-free earnings over a lifetime can add up to a serious chunk of change. However, in order to receive those tax-free earnings, rules must be followed and timeframes must...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Good morning, We have a client that retired on 1/2/2019 and he was over 70.5.  He was not required to take his RMD in 2018 from his 401k since he was still working (he did take his 2018 RMD from his IRA).  He rolled...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst To discourage early access to amounts invested in IRAs and company retirement plans, the IRS imposes a 10% early distribution penalty on withdrawals before age 59 ½. Even though Roth IRAs consist of after-tax contributions, the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst In the wake of tax reform, more IRA owners are making use of the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) strategy. This is a side effect of fewer people choosing to itemize and instead going with the larger standard deduction. If you...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst In the wake of tax reform, more IRA owners are making use of the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) strategy. This is a side effect of fewer people choosing to itemize and instead going with the larger standard deduction. If you...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Net Unrealized Appreciation (“NUA”) is a powerful tool that people with employer stock in company plans should be aware of. Under this tax concept, the gains on the employer stock that are distributed according to the NUA rules...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: My sister is 72 years old and quite philanthropic. Much of her traditional IRA RMD she donates to various charities. Is it possible for her to instruct the IRA trustee to send the money directly from her IRA account to the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The House Ways and Means Committee recently passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (the SECURE Act). This bill includes a number of measures designed to strengthen retirement savings. With regard...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst My son does not much care for broccoli. However, he knows it is for the greater good, and I insist he grow strong and healthy. As long as he lives under my roof, I could feed him broccoli for both lunch and dinner. Double broccoli...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: First, thank you for the educational opportunity via the mailbag services. I'm 70 years old (will be 70 1/2 in July this year). I retired in 2014.  I have a 401K account (consisting of highly appreciated stocks and...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst If the dictionary had pictures next to each word, the U.S. Tax Code would fit nicely next to the definition of “esoteric.” But as we all know, this complex web of rules and regulations cannot be ignored. Mistakes cost money, in...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Today is April 15, 2019. This is deadline for filing your 2018 federal income tax return, unless you have an extension. This tax season was the first one where we saw the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Wholesale changes to the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I have a question for a situation I have never come across before.  I have a client that just found out they missed taking their RMD’s from one of their retirement accounts for the last 5 years!  Assuming they take...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Unfortunately, it happened again. Another person dove into the IRA rollover pool before checking the depth, temperature, or if the pool was even open for swimming. In this scenario, $125,000 was rolled from an IRA at Bank A to Bank...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Most people are aware of the tax concept, Required Minimum Distributions or “RMDs.” These are the tax rules that force you to take a distribution from your IRA or qualified plan, even when you don’t want to. Moreover, that...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a 60 day rollover, and basically the client has what I believe is an uneducated tax preparer. The roll over occurred within the proper 60 days, the custodian sent out the 1099R as a distribution checking box 7, 1,...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Are you a small business owner or a sole proprietor? If so, you may use a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA plan to save for retirement. These plans are a popular choice for small businesses because they are inexpensive and easier...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A little house on Easy Street has one front door. It is a traditional IRA. There is a sign above the lone entry point the reads, “To All Those That Enter, Thy Earnings Will be Taxable.” It does not matter if the money that enters...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Planning Question - for retirement plans that permit Non Roth After Tax Contributions, could the company use Qualified Matching Contributions (QMACs) for the NHCEs to satisfy the ADP & ACP testing allowing the HCEs...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Tax rules can be confusing, and that can especially be the case when we are talking about the application of two separate rules. It’s easy to get confused when two or more tax laws intersect. For many, that occurs when we discuss...

Are you ready for the Great Wealth Transfer? By some reports, 45 million Baby Boomers are expected to transfer over $68 trillion in wealth to the next generation in the coming 25 years. Increasingly, a larger portion of this wealth can be found in IRAs. Those dollars...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Whether by choice or necessity, many Americans are still working long beyond what has traditionally been retirement age. If you are a member of this group, you may be keeping funds in your employer plan well into your seventies and...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Is it possible to take the RMD portion of an inherited traditional IRA and convert that each year as the distribution is done into a Roth IRA?  Or, is the only way to accomplish this is to take the distribution and then...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Edward was born in 1950. Traditional IRA accounts would not be established until the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In 1975, Edward and many other Americans took full advantage of this tax-deferred savings...

By Jeremy Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst I’m sure you’ve heard countless advisors mention that a direct transfer (or direct rollover) is the best way to move funds between IRAs or qualified retirement plans. But do you understand why? There are a number of reasons, and in...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: I have a question about avoiding RMDs for a still-working 72 year old in a 401k plan.  Suppose they don’t have to take 401k RMDs due to the still-working exemption from RMDs.  Let’s say the person knows they will retire next...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst It’s that time of year again. Tax season is upon us. This is now the time when many individuals consider funding their IRAs. Contributing to an IRA may seem pretty straight forward and in many ways it is! But there can be twists. Here...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A disclaimer is an interesting tool. It is a denial or disavowal of legal claim, or a formal refusal to accept an interest in something. “Release” and “waiver” are good synonyms. Oftentimes a disclaimer statement is used by a...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: My Daughter is a 30-year old RN and I want to help her contribute to an IRA.  She has a 401K at the hospital where she works, but she only contributes to maximize their 4% matching.  It is my understanding she can still...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst When a legal question is clear, I like to imagine the landscape like the great plains of the midwestern United States.  The land is flat and lush, meaning problems are easily identified and the area can be easily traversed. On...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Much attention is paid to the favorable options available when spouses are named as IRA beneficiaries. However, a significant portion of IRA assets will end up being inherited by individuals who are not a spouse of the decedent. Many...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I am a CPA and was not sure if in 2019 alimony was considered earned income for making a Roth IRA contribution. Would appreciate any clarification you can provide. Thank you very much. Have a great day! Dale...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Ivan is an inventor at heart, but he is stuck in an office at a job he does not particularly care for. Ivan constantly daydreams about starting his own company and improving everyday life with his inventions. For 20 years Ivan...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: In 2017, I opened a Roth IRA through my company. Being over 65, I mistakenly thought I could convert Traditional IRA funds to the Roth if I paid tax on the rollover amount. In August 2018, I had Schwab roll $50,000 into...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst There are many gaps. Generation gap, stop-gap, The Gap Band. In baseball you can hit into the gap. Football linemen have an A-gap, B-gap and C-gap to concern themselves with. Of course, there is the Cumberland Gap. And there is a...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: If I convert Trad IRA funds to a Roth IRA, does the ratio of After-Tax Contribution to Total IRA holdings include 401k holdings or only IRA holdings. I am a recently retired pilot and want to make Trad to Roth IRA conversions...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you have an IRA, you may have heard the term “required beginning date” or “RBD.” This is an important date that every IRA owner should understand. The significance of the RBD is not limited to IRA owners. It is a critical date for...

By Jeremy Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello Ed, I have an elderly client in his 80’s, not in the best of health. He has named his spouse (also in her 80’s) along with his 4 children as primary beneficiaries of his IRA. That said, I know the 4 children will...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst When it comes to 401(k) plans, I feel like the Johnny Cash lyric…“I’ve been everywhere, man.” I’ve wholesaled record keeping platforms to financial advisors and sold direct to business owners. I’ve taught novice investors about...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst So, you want to invest your IRA money in real estate? Every so often we get this question from advisors wondering what they should look out for. Under the tax code, real estate is a permissible investment for IRAs. However, that...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Client passed in the middle of December 2018, but did not take her RMD.  We are setting up beneficiary IRA accounts.  We will be moving assets over to the beneficiary IRA accounts and then the beneficiary will take the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Not all contributions to IRAs belong there. When a contribution is not permitted in an IRA, it is an excess contribution and needs to be fixed. The bad news is that excess contributions happen easily and often. The good news is that if...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst There are a number of ways an individual can avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty from their IRA or employer work plan. Some exceptions apply specifically to IRAs (i.e. higher education; first-time home buyer, etc.) and others...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi I have a question about 72t "If" I am 45 years old, and calculate the amount to withdraw from my ira under 72t via the RMD method, I understand that I must continue calculating the withdrawal via the RMD method every year...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Mistakes happen, and when dealing with complicated rules like the U.S. tax code, they aren’t exactly uncommon. Thankfully, the IRS has numerous ways various mistakes can be corrected, and one of the most lenient processes is for...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Marie Kondo is a decluttering and tidying expert from Japan. She has a new show on Netflix, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, that is a huge hit. Thrift shops around the country are reporting a large influx of donations as Americans...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: I am in the process of setting up a QTIP because my current wife (age 64) is not the mother of my 2 children (ages 41 and 38).  If I pre-decease, the IRA will go to my wife within the trust. When she passes and the IRA...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst If I decide to climb on the roof of my house and try to ride a unicycle while blindfolded, it is not illegal. Dangerous, yes, but not in violation of any laws. If I elect to randomly jump off a bridge under the guidance of the...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst In my last installment, I talked about one of my two favorite beginning of the year topics when it comes to retirement planning: New Year’s Resolutions...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Dear Ed, Thanks for all your work on the retirement frontier.  I have a question…we have married clients who are age 70 (he) and 62 (she).  Both clients have IRAs.  The 62-year-old client just passed away.  I know that the...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst A word we don’t see much in daily conversation is “deem.” I imagine a sweeping proclamation made by an authority figure from an ivory tower: “It is deemed that the third day of the standard workweek shall henceforth be called...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Roth IRAs offer a trade-off. You decide to pay taxes now on your contribution (or conversion) in exchange for tax-free earnings down the road. Don’t miss out on Roth IRA benefits by making mistakes when you take a distribution. Here...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Hi Mr. Slott: I turn 70 ½ years old this year (D.O.B. 5-28-49) and must commence RMDs for an IRA total asset value as of 12/31/2018.  When do I have to report this RMD on my tax return - before or no later than...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst When it comes to tax law and retirement planning, there are two things I like to talk about at the beginning of a new year: (1) some of most important rulings issued and laws passed in the prior year; and (2) the steps you can...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst Question: I am 64 and opened my only Roth IRA over 5 yrs ago. I originally contributed $32.5K ($6.5K for 5 yrs) to this Roth IRA but now find it at $22.5K in value. Can I close this account and take a $10K capital loss? Kaptain Kurt...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Happy holidays from Slott Report! We would like to wish all of our readers and their families a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year! Thank you for taking your valuable time to read the Slott Report in 2018. Throughout the year...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello IRAHelp, I have a copy of Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map and find it to be an extremely useful resource.  I have uncertainty regarding optimum means for funding a Health Savings Account (HSA).  I am 61.  In...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst In mid-November 2018, the IRS issued proposed regulations altering some of the rules governing hardship distributions from 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Most of the rules weren’t new; instead the IRS adopted changes that were issued...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Jerry sells widgets for the ACME Widget Company. Jerry is a hard-working employee who participates in the ACME Widget Company 401(k) Plan. Jerry also contributes annually to an IRA account at a local bank. The widget business is a...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello Mr. Slott, Thanks for your educational broadcasts. I have run into something that might hold your interest. In two separate situations I have asked that retirement checks be made payable to an IRA at another large...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst I get the same question every year at year end. “My client has an illiquid IRA and can’t take his RMD. Can we just write a note to IRS explaining the problem?” Every year my answer is the same. “NO.” What is an RMD? It is...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you are considering converting an IRA to a Roth IRA in 2018, time is quickly running out. Here are 5 things you need to know when making a decision: 1. The Deadline - The deadline for a 2018 conversion is the end of the calendar...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: Mr. Slott, My spouse turned 70 on June 27th, 2018, so in December 2018 she will be 70 ½. She would like to complete a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). Does the QCD need to be dated from December 27 to December 31,...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst One piece of advice we commonly reiterate is, when you inherit an IRA or other retirement plan asset, touch nothing! That’s because many transactions cannot be undone, and the IRS rarely grants relief simply because the taxpayer...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst It turns out the Grinch stirs up a blizzard of trouble beyond stealing Christmas trees and presents from the innocent Whos down in Whoville. That candy cane he slipped out of Cindy Lou’s fingers? Child’s play. The breadcrumb he...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Good morning! I am hoping you can provide some direction for an issue we have encountered. In December of 2016, we changed our broker-dealer. A particular client had not completed the transfer paperwork and had to mail a...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Twenty-six states have adopted revocation-on-divorce statutes similar to each other, and these statutes are impacting court decisions. Example #1: The U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8 – 1 ruling just this past June, concluded that life...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst If you are thinking about doing a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) for 2018, time is running out. The deadline is December 31, 2018. Many people are missing out on this valuable tax break. If you are both taking required minimum...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Tim and Robert are identical twins. They wear the same clothes. They have similar hair styles. They have similar jobs and similar incomes. Tim and Robert are both concerned about taxes, and they agree that saving money for the...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Thanksgiving is only a few days away. This is a time when we gather together and express our gratitude for all the good things in our lives. When it comes to our retirement accounts, we too often complain about the negatives, such as...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Question: I am 70 ½ and still working in 2018.  If I work part time (still employed) in 2019, can I delay my 401K RMD until 2020? Best regards, Will Answer: Will, If you are still employed by the company that is offering the 401(k)...

By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst There is a 131-page bill currently working its way through the U.S. legislature. The proposal would amend the Internal Revenue Code and encourage retirement savings. While the “Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2018,” or...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The road to retirement is long. Along the way you may need to move the funds in your IRA. When that time comes, you will want to be sure that everything is done correctly. Moving your retirement funds can be tricky and the consequences...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Dear Ed Slott team members, Would you please address the following scenario. You bought stock in an IRA for a $1000. Ten years later, it has appreciated to $10,000. If the stock was not in an IRA, you would owe capital gains...

By Andy Ives CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Assisting business owners with the establishment of a new 401K plan brings a multitude of questions.  From plan design to investment options to employee education, everything is in play. One common topic of discussion is the plan’s...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Good news for retirement savers! The IRA contribution limit, which was $5,500 for 2018, will rise to $6,000 for 2019. If you are over age 50 in 2019, you will be able to save even more. The limit for those who are age 50 or over in...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017, Congress passed special legislation allowing expanded access to retirement plan funds for individuals affected by those storms.  Congress also previously enacted that sort of legislation...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst SIMPLE IRAs are popular retirement vehicles for small businesses. They are relatively cheap to adopt and are easy to understand and administer. However, that doesn’t mean problems do not arise. Routinely, we see issues involving...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst IRA owners can clearly combine the accounts they own and they can combine the required minimum distributions (RMDs) from multiple IRAs and take them from any one or combination of their IRAs. But what are the rules for inherited IRAs? An...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Legal training is less about memorization and more about understanding how to break down complex problems. With that mind, I often suggest that people understand the law and not try to memorize it. Why was it enacted and what is...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi, I am an advisor and attended the Instant IRA Success workshop in 2017 and found it really useful in my practice. I have a client situation I am trying to clarify and am sure you can help. The client ( husband...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst I just had a call from an advisor with a “complicated” scenario. “Ralph” died and left his IRA to his spouse “Alice.” Ralph was 62 in the year he died. Alice did nothing with the IRA. It remained an inherited IRA and there were no...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Generally, taking distributions from an IRA or qualified plan before retirement age should be a last resort. Of course, life has its unexpected pitfalls and at times, earlier access to these funds is necessary. One of the ways...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Ed: I have been reading you for more than 20 years – thank you for all your contributions to our industry. I have a client (about to be over 70 ½) whose new employer told him that he should roll all of his old employer...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst The news has been filled with reports of the flooding and damage in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florence. As the cleanup continues, the IRS has announced tax relief for the storm’s victims. On September 15, the IRS...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Qualified plans are required to provide participants with a number of notices and information. There’s the Summary Plan Description, the Summary Annual Report, annual safe harbor notices (if applicable), plan account statements...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst After last year’s passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which overhauled the tax code, you might think Congress would be done with tax legislation for a while. That is not the case. While Republican efforts to unleash as second round...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: Good Morning, I have a question in regards to Roth 401k vs Roth IRA. Can you roll over your Roth 401k to a Roth IRA to avoid the RMD that must be taken when the individual reaches 70 1/2 with a Roth 401k? Thank you. Carol...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst We constantly see questions regarding the distribution rules for Roth IRAs. Personally, I’ve always thought that the failure to understand these rules prevents many from truly appreciating the benefits of these accounts....

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst A recharacterization is a tax-free transfer of funds from one kind of IRA to another. If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and now are reconsidering, recharacterization allows you to undo the transaction and move the funds...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hi Read your column in the Chicago Tribune and have learned a lot.  I have a question I don't think you have addressed. I have multiple Roth IRA's that I converted years ago, paid the taxes and they are continuing to...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Every so often, the IRS or the courts remind us that the exceptions to the 10% early distribution penalty are narrowly interpreted. That means if your situation doesn’t fit the letter of the law to a “t,” then the exception will...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst You may understand the basics of how an HSA works. The fundamental premise is not so complicated. If you have a qualifying high deductible health plan you may contribute to an HSA. Then, you can take tax-free distributions to pay for...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I met Ed Slott at an FPA function where he spoke in Independence Ohio, several years ago. I have purchased books written by him, however I am not presently a subscriber to your service. I would appreciate your response to...

By Jim Glass, JD IRA Analyst As summer ends and fall approaches, so does the season for taking required minimum distributions (RMDs). There is a 50% penalty for failing to take an RMD, so don't miss one. But don't just take an RMD, plan ahead now to make it work for...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst You may ask if you should leave your IRA to a trust. This can be a complicated question. Trusts can be complex and retirement accounts are not like other assets. How a Trust Beneficiary Can Get the Stretch If you are thinking a trust...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Question: To whom it may concern, Quick question.  Client’s daughter died at age 41. Client is age 71.  Can she combo her daughter’s 401k into her current Traditional IRA since she has to take RMD’s on the traditional and a...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst For years we saw and heard the commercials – rollover your 401(k) to an IRA. They suggested that this was the only option – and the best option – for you. But it was not the only option; and it might not be the best option for you. Here...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst One of the most important things you learn in law school is how the law is structured. You are better able to analyze the rule (and predict outcomes) when you understand how it is was created and how is has been treated ever...

By Jim Glass, JD IRA Analyst Question: Mr. Slott, My 45 year old daughter’s financial advisor has recommended for her NOT to put retirement contributions into a Roth IRA! His reason being that by paying taxes up front for a Roth, there is less money to grow!  Also,...

By Jim Glass, JD IRA Analyst IRAs have beneficiaries and "designated beneficiaries," and it is important to know the difference. If you wish your heirs to have the opportunity to take full advantage of "stretch" IRAs, and to avoid other possibly costly mistakes, be...

By Sarah Brenner, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Even rock stars get older. Although it may seem hard to believe, both Steven Tyler of Aerosmith fame and rock legend and reality tv star Ozzy Osborne celebrate their 70th birthdays in 2018. Steven...

By Beverly DeVeny IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport Both my husband and I turn 70 this year but only one of us has a required minimum distribution (RMD) from our retirement accounts. Here is why. RMDs begin in the year you turn 70 ½, not 70. He turned...

By Jeremy T. Rodriguez, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on Twitter: @theslottreport As you accumulate money in an employer retirement plan, somewhere along the line you are going to be faced with one question: should I leave it in the plan or roll it out? For many, that...

There has been talk in Congress about indexing capital gains for inflation. This has largely been under the radar… until this week when the story hit the front page of the New York Times, where the story states that the White House might try to do this on its own...

IRA distributions and Roth IRA conversions can affect the size the Medicare premiums you pay. Here's how, and what to do about it. Means Testing Medicare Medicare consists of four "parts."  Part A, which covers hospital costs, is paid for by the government. But the...

Do you have after-tax dollars in your IRA? This could be from making nondeductible contributions to your IRA or rolling over after-tax funds from your company plan to your IRA. If so, you will want to know about the pro-rata rule. The pro-rata rule is a rule that...

Not all contributions to IRAs belong there. When a contribution is not permitted in an IRA, it is an excess contribution and needs to be fixed. Some excess contributions are easy to understand. Others may be a bit trickier to grasp. Here are 7 ways an excess IRA...

Question: Hi, I have a friend, 45 years old, who has both an individual Roth IRA and an individual rollover IRA. The Roth is over 5 years old. He would like to know if he can use either to pay off a debt he incurred several years ago. He is aware that a straight...

Contributing to a Roth IRA is generally considered to be a good idea. But not everyone is eligible to make an annual contribution. We have seen several cases recently of individuals who contributed for many years until they discovered they were not eligible to make...

As Americans live longer, more are eventually coming to need long-term nursing home care.  The cost of this can be devastating to a family. Nursing home care now costs an average of over $85,000 per year, and much more than that in some parts of the country. Medicaid...

Question: Can you do trustee-to-trustee transfer from an Annuity Trad IRA to Mutual Fund Trad IRA? Answer: Yes. If you own a traditional IRA that has invested in an annuity, you can make a transfer from it to another traditional IRA to be invested in mutual funds. And...

Every retirement plan custodian has an interactive website that participants can visit, if their employer offers that feature. While all are a little different, the websites all contain access to vital information about your account under the plan. You can review your...

Change can be good. Is your IRA ready for a change? Maybe you are looking for a new type of investment or maybe a new IRA custodian. To change it up with your IRA, you may need to move your IRA funds. Here are 10 things everyone should know before they move their IRA....

Question: My husband passed away this April at 83. I’m 68 and sole beneficiary of his traditional IRA.  I was advised that it didn’t matter if I rolled his IRA into mine and then took his RMD for the year as long as I do so by 12/31/2018.  I rolled his IRA into mine...

When someone keeps telling you not to worry about them doing a certain thing, you know they are thinking about doing that very thing. That’s what Congress is doing with so called “Rothification.” As a review, “Rothification” – as it has become known –  is a way to...

After retiring, your taxable income may consist entirely of IRA distributions and investment returns. You'll have two ways to remit the tax owed on this income to the IRS: (1) make quarterly estimated tax payments, (2) have tax withheld from the distributions. Which...

Question: Client is over 70 1/2 and passed away in 2018 and did not take their 2018 RMD yet. There are 4 non-spouse beneficiaries who are opening new inherited IRA accounts for their share.  Does the 2018 RMD for the deceased client need to be paid prior to the...

An inherited IRA can be a great thing for the beneficiaries. It is almost like winning the lottery or the Reader’s Digest sweepstakes. You get income for life, or do you? It is all too easy to miss out on this opportunity. The following apply to beneficiaries who are...

In the recent case of Sveen v. Melin, the Supreme Court ruled that life insurance proceeds would not go to an ex-spouse, even though her name remained on the beneficiary form after the divorce. Instead, the Court said the Minnesota state statute removing an ex-spouse...

Question: Roll over all but $4000 of nondeductible IRA in my Traditional IRA into my SEP IRA, then rollover the $4K basis into my Roth IRA? Can I do that? Can I do both rollovers in quick succession in the same day so that the Traditional left with the $4K does not...

Many individuals who open IRAs choose to invest in traditional asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. But for a growing number of people, these options are not enough. Instead, they look to invest in other non-traditional assets. The tax code actually...

When you own multiple IRAs and take an IRA distribution, the IRS treats all your non-Roth IRAs as one. This helps you when you reach age 70 ½ and must begin taking annual required minimum distributions (RMDs). Instead of taking a separate RMD from each IRA, you can...

Question:  Is this a question you can help me with? Client’s husband & Wife had a living trust. Attorney suggested that all holdings be put into the trust or make the Trust the beneficiary. Husband died several years ago, in January, 2018 the wife died. There are...

A lot has changed in the last six months for certain federally declared disaster areas. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 added relief for the California wildfires and mudslides of late 2017. The Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017...

Did you know your IRA could be escheated to the state as abandoned property? Not many IRA owners are aware of this possibility, but more and more are facing it. Escheatment - Bigger and Badder than Ever The legal theory of escheatment dates way back. It originally...

Question: Hello, I am retired and have done a Roth in plan rollover within my work 401K. Am I able to do a Roth rollover within a Fidelity IRA to a Fidelity Roth IRA? Is there a rule that limits the number of Roth IRA Rollovers you can do in a year or period of time?...

Most people know that, generally speaking, you cannot access traditional IRA money penalty-free until you reach age 59 ½. Early distributions are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Of course, like virtually every other retirement rule ever written, there are...

Suppose you unexpectedly incur a major liability, from a lawsuit or some other unforeseen cause. Will the funds in your IRA be protected from your creditors? Maybe … or maybe not. Here are the rules: Federal Law Protection If you own an IRA that you’ve funded yourself...

Question: I wondered if it’s possible to convert my traditional IRA to a Roth for 2017 and prior years, and then file an amended return? At least I could offset the higher taxes paid going forward, knowing I will have a tax-free Roth? Thanks very much for your help...

There is a lot of paperwork involved when you open an IRA account. You have to prove to the bank who you are and that your funds are legitimate. There is an account opening form and a beneficiary form to be completed. After you do all of that, then you get a...

Question: Ed, great article on reasons for taking RMDs early in the year, but here's the other side of the argument, at least for me (which is why I am responding via email rather than online). My wife and I are both retired.  We have a pension, social security and...

Using Deferred Income to Fund Your Startup Business Could ROB Your Future One of the most difficult aspects of starting a business is obtaining proper funding. While banks have begun lending again, loans for startup businesses are still difficult to obtain. They...

Having just one IRA instead of several may simplify paperwork and minimize fees. But when you begin to think about leaving IRA funds to heirs, consider using more than one IRA to do so. Here are reasons why:   Preserve Funds for Bequests in a Roth IRA Statistics...

Question: Dear Mr. Slott, In 2013, my husband was offered a buyout from his employer, Ford Motor Co.  He had been retired since 1999 and so was already receiving a monthly pension check. (My husband had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2011 and then passed...

It now appears that the new fiduciary rules proposed by the Department of Labor (DOL) back in June of 2016 are all but dead. Late last week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a last-minute appeal of its March 15th decision to toss the DOL rules. The appeal...

Let’s say you wish to contribute to an IRA in 2018, but have too much income to make a either a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA or a contribution to a Roth IRA. You still have the option to make a nondeductible contribution to a traditional IRA. Might...

If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) with family coverage, determining your 2018 contribution limit has been an adventure. This in one of the many unintended consequences of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Many of the HSA limits are indexed annually for...

Question: Can you please advise regarding the following: I’m 63 years old and am required to take a yearly RMD [required minimum distribution] from my deceased Mom’s IRA (BDA).  In order to save on taxes, am I allowed to have my financial institution send the RMD...

Beware of making these 3 mistakes with your IRA… 1. Late Investments  If, like so many people, you made your IRA contribution for 2017 only recently in 2018, just before the 2017 tax return filing deadline, you missed earning up to 15 months of pre-tax investment...